PDA

View Full Version : [Movie] Kara no Kyoukai



tomabird
08-12-2010, 04:33 AM
Kara no Kyoukai- The Garden of Lost Sinners aka Boundary of EmptinessTV(?; watched it over the net), 7 movies
By ufotable, 2007-2009
Genres: Horror, psychological, romance, supernatural

30852

Plot Synopsis:

"If it is alive, even if it is a God, I can kill it."


This is the story about a girl who unwillingly obtains the ability to see "death lines" - the seams of life - in all creation. Her name is Ryogi Shiki. In the beginning, she accepts the state imposed on her indifferently. However, the moment she questions her life, she ironically falls into a coma for two years.

When she comes to, she finds that the world had changed… Or rather, the change is in herself. So, wielding a shining knife, hunting monsters living on the borders of the normal and abnormal worlds becomes her only purpose to live… All the while knowing that there is someone keeping an eye on her.

Art and Animation: 10/10
The art in this series is beautifully made, as it clearly portrays the "dark" and "otherworldly" aspects of the story. The environment used is very detailed and faithful to the theme of the movies. The animation is also very fluid, and along with the "camera-esque" points of view, will leave no detail unnoticed especially in the fight scenes, which is probably the biggest contributor to this series' epicness. The effects are also exceptionally vibrant, adding to the epic feel of the already impressive animation.


Voice acting/Music: 10/10
The voices fit perfectly to characters' appearances and personalities in the series, recurring or no. One can clearly feel the emotion from the characters just by their voices. This is especially true with the characters' displays of anger and insanity, effectively intensifying the mood of the scenes.

The music ranges from dark, subtle melodies, to fast-paced, epic battle themes. They fit their respective scenes perfectly (so much that the viewer WILL know when its the climax by just listening to the music). I can say that this is one of the stronger points of the series, along with its animation, because the music can definitely take the viewer deep into the "feel" of this series.

Story: 9-10/10 (mileage may vary)
The general plotline may at first be confusing, as the movies are not in chronological order. One may need to watch the whole series or read summaries of it in the internet to fully grasp it.

Individually, the movies are well-paced and will leave the viewer into long periods of brooding and deep reflection. Kara no Kyoukai's dark, foreboding atmosphere really intends to immerse the viewers in the mind of a murderer: a world that, in my opinion after watching this, is gravely misunderstood.

Characters: 10/10
Kara no Kyoukai leaves no expense in connecting the characters to the heart and soul of the series, as most of the characters (more specifically, the antagonists) are more or less similar, yet different from the main character, Ryougi Shiki, further defining her character more clearly to the viewer. The characters are different stories themselves, and the series has made an excellent job in giving them each a well-thought out backgrond as the series progresses.

Overall: 10/10
Probably one of the (if not the) best animes of its genre out there. A hard-to-find anime, and maybe a little serious, but it'll guarantee to hook you into its dark, mystical world.http://www.animeforum.com/images/misc/pencil.png